Primula plant named ‘Kerbelnec’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Primula  plant named ‘Kerbelnec’, characterized by its upright, compact and uniform plant habit; large, double, fragrant and yellow orange and red purple bi-colored flowers that are held upright on strong and erect peduncles; large sepals that “frame” the flowers; freely flowering habit; and tolerance to low temperatures.

Botanical designation: Primula acaulis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Kerbelnec’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Primula plant, botanically known as Primula acaulis, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Kerbelnec.

The new Primula is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact pot-type Primula cultivars with numerous double flowers with short peduncles and attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Primula originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom of two unnamed proprietary Primula acaulis seedling selections, not patented, in March, 2001. The new Primula was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom in February, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tissue culture since the summer of 2002 in Enniscorthy, Ireland, has shown that the unique features of this new Primula are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Kerbelnec have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kerbelnec’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kerbelnec’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, compact and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Large, double, fragrant and yellow orange and red purple         bi-colored flowers that are held upright on strong and erect         peduncles.     -   3. Large sepals that “frame” the flowers.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Tolerant to low temperatures.

Plants of the new Primula differ from plants of the parent selections in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Primula are more compact than plants of the         parent selections.     -   2. Plants of the new Primula have double flowers whereas plants         of the parent selections have single flowers.     -   3. Plants of the Primula are sterile whereas plants of the         parent selections are fertile.

Plants of the new Primula can be compared to plants of the Primula acaulis cultivar Ken Dearman, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom, plants of the new Primula differed from plants of the cultivar Ken Dearman in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Primula were more compact and less vigorous         than plants of the cultivar Ken Dearman.     -   2. Plants of the new Primula had smaller leaves than plants of         the cultivar Ken Dearman.     -   3. Plants of the new Primula flowered earlier and were more         freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Ken Dearman.     -   4. Plants of the new Primula had larger flowers with more petals         than plants of the cultivar Ken Dearman.     -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Primula had more distinct         coloration than flowers of plants of the cultivar Ken Dearman.     -   6. Flowers of plants of the new Primula were more fragrant than         plants of the cultivar Ken Dearman.     -   7. Plants of the new Primula had smaller sepals than plants of         the cultivar Ken Dearman.     -   8. Plants of the new Primula had strong upright peduncles         whereas plants of the cultivar Ken Dearman had weak arching         peduncles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actual colors of the new Primula.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Kerbelnec’ grown in a 11-cm container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Kerbelnec’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom, in a glass-covered greenhouse and under commercial production practices during the spring. Plants were about four to five months old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20 to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15 to 20° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Primula acaulis cultivar Kerbelnec. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary Primula acaulis             seedling selection, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary Primula acaulis             seedling selection, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About four weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About five weeks at             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright, compact and uniform plant habit;             inverted triangle. Moderately vigorous growth habit. Leaves             basal.         -   Plant height.—About 10 to 13 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 23 to 26 cm.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Basal, simple. Length:             About 8.5 to 11.5 cm. Width: About 2.5 to 4 cm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Acute. Margin: Slightly             crenate; slightly undulate. Texture, upper surface: Somewhat             rugose; glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Prominent             venation; pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: 144A. Developing leaves,             lower surface: 143B to 143C. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: 137A to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface:             137C. Venation, upper surface: 144B. Venation, lower             surface: 144D. Petiole length: About 2.5 to 4 cm. Petiole             diameter: About 5 to 10 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Petiole color, upper surface:             59C. Petiole color, lower surface: 59C to 59D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single, rounded double flowers; flowers             face upright and outward. Freely flowering habit with about             16 to 20 flower buds and flowers per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; typical of species.         -   Natural flowering season.—Recurrent to almost continuous             flowering during the spring in the United Kingdom. Flowers             persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 8 to 12 mm. Diameter: About 5 to             8 mm. Shape: Ovoid to rounded. Color: 144B to 144C.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.4 to 3.5 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.2 to 1.9 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About 60 to 80 in several             concentric whorls. Length (including tube): About 8 to             12 mm. Width: About 8 to 12 mm. Shape: Obcordate. Apex:             Emarginate. Margin: Slightly ruffled. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: Developing             petals, upper surface: 17B to 17D; towards the margin, 59C.             Developing petals, lower surface: 17D; towards the margin,             59C. Fully expanded petals, upper surface: 17A; towards the             margin, 59C. Fully expanded petals, lower surface: 59B to             59A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused at the base; sepals are large and “frame” the             flower. Length: About 1.5 to 2.2 cm. Width: About 1 to             1.6 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Slightly             serrated; ruffled. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rough,             glabrous. Color, upper surface: 143A to 143C. Color, lower             surface: 138B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 to 9 cm. Diameter: About 2 to             4 mm. Orientation: Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 59B to 59C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Development of reproductive organs has             not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Primula have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Primula. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Primula have been observed     to have tolerate temperatures from about −5 to 28° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Primula plant named ‘Kerbelnec’, as illustrated and described. 